Unusual Milk and Jammies session offered as community healing for East Greenwich

Wednesday

Aug 16, 2017 at 10:03 PMAug 16, 2017 at 10:03 PM

Donita Naylor Journal Staff Writer donita22

EAST GREENWICH, R.I. — "Milk and Jammies" is the name of a poem that its author, Bob Houghtaling, who has worked for more than three decades to prevent substance abuse, is using to invite townspeople to participate in a community healing event.

The poem begins by reflecting that people form "sharp and mean" opinions if they focus too long on a screen. Snuggling "in comfy jammies" with milk, cookies and a Dr. Seuss or Curious George book can remind them, the poem concludes:

"Adults can learn so very much from reading children's books."

Houghtaling (rhymes with yodeling) has planned an evening of surprises starting at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at St. Luke's Episcopal Church, 99 Peirce St. Children will serve milk and cookies, he said, and people will be asked to tell what they love about their town. There will be music and speakers.

"When people are in an acrimonious situation, you've got to get them in the same room," he said. By acrimonious, he referred to council meetings that have ended abruptly after shouting matches between the public and the council president.

Belt-tightening changes that some consider too drastic have resulted in the departure of the well-liked town manager and department heads being fired. Members of the town's unions turned out in matching T-shirts to express solidarity.

Houghtaling, 63, counsels 180 to 220 people a year, more than half of them adults, about addiction issues. He starts in early grades teaching young people to make good decisions. He organizes public forums on substance abuse, mental health and social justice issues. Thursday's event, he said, is the largest group therapy session he has ever attempted.

Asked whether he fears losing his job for taking a "Milk and Jammies" approach to serious divisions, he said: